Last week with Star Trek: Omega, IDW brought its current line of Star Trek comics to a close. With the conclusion of Lore War, the crews of the Theseus and the Defiant set out on new paths as they grapple with the monumental events they’ve just experienced.
Written by Christopher Cantwell, Collin Kelly, and Jackson Lanzing, this issue is a satisfying ending that hints at the potential for future comic projects. What is truly astonishing here is that the writers leave us without any loose ends, all while allowing each character to have a moment to shine. I have to admit that I had no idea that Star Trek: Omega marked the end of the line for both the current Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant comics. As a longtime Trekkie, Cantwell, Kelly, and Lanzing have given me more than two years of thoughtful and fun adventures in the final frontier. This was a new golden age of Star Trek comics, and I’m really sad to see it end. I have full faith in IDW to pull me back in with new books and concepts in the near future, but I will dearly miss this cast of characters.
A very touching finale for longtime readers means this is hardly a new-reader-friendly book, and it shouldn’t be. This is a love letter to longtime fans, and I would recommend picking up the back issues and TPBs. There isn’t really a plot here per se, as the book is divided into a series of vignettes. Each vignette centers on one of the main characters as they decide their next steps following Lore War. There’s no villain here, nor cosmic anomaly of the week, just quiet moments between characters. And it works. I appreciated how, in Captain Sisko’s case, the writers called back to the Deep Space Nine finale, even ending Sisko’s story on the same shot with Jake Sisko staring out at the wormhole, thinking about his father. Though this time, Jake isn’t shackled by grief to Deep Space Nine, but ready to travel and make his own mark. The writers may be placing their toys back in the chest, but that doesn’t mean these stories didn’t have an impact on our characters. This is especially true for Kahless II and Alexander. Though we end Star Trek: Omega with Kahless II’s honor and throne restored, this isn’t the same man we last saw in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Kahless II has learned a new lesson in honor, and Alexander has finally found his place in the world. Alexander’s character arc is especially satisfying, as it feels like the writers have tied up one of Star Trek’s dangling plot threads.
An army of top artists help to bring this book together, and they all nail the look and feel of Star Trek. Longtime characters are instantly recognizable. In a book short on action, the artists’ primary responsibility to the script becomes ensuring that each emotional beat carries weight and pays off for the reader. From Kahless II’s look of resignation as he takes his throne to Jake Sisko’s nervous look as he hands his first novel to his father to read, each moment shines through on the page.
IDW ends one of the most exciting eras of Star Trek comics with an introspective and character-driven finale that offers those readers who have been following these books from the outset a satisfying conclusion. Cantwell, Kelly, and Lanzing definitively prove that they understand the characters and love this world. A worthy addition to Trek lore.
Creative Team: Christopher Cantwell (Writer), Collin Kelly (Writer), Jackson Lanzing (Writer), Oleg Chudakov (Artist), Joe Eisma (Artist), Mike Feehan (Artist), Tess Fowler (Artist), Angel Hernandez (Artist), Liana Kangas (Artist), Megan Levens (Artist), Travis Mercer (Artist), Ramon Rosanas (Artist) , Rachael Stott (Artist), Erik Tamayo (Artist), Davide Tinto (Artist), Marcus To (Artist), Lee Loughridge (Colorist), Marissa Louise (Colorist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer).
Publisher: IDW Publishing
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